Means for canal-boat propulsion.



PATENT-ED NOV. 17, 1903.

G. H. MANN. MEANS FOR CANAL 'BOAT PROPULSION.

APPLIOATIOH FILED OUT-2B. 1901.

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No. 744,378. PATENTED NOV. 17, 1903. G. H. MANN.

MEANS FOR CANAL BOAT PROPULSION.

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' j I 11. BY i o 'ArromvEYs Patented November 17, 1903.

PAT NT OFFICE.

GILBERT HQSEA MANN, OF- ZOAR, MASSACHUSETTS.

MEANS FOR CANAL-BOAT PROPULSION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,378, dated November 17, 1903. Application filed October 28, 1901. Serial No. 80,274. (No model.)

act description.

The object of the invention is to provide certain new and useful improvements in canal-boat propulsion whereby a boat or a train of boats can be rapidly and cheaply propelled and without requiring much, if any, steering and obviating the undesirable wash or swells incident when canal-boats are propelled by propellers or wheels, as heretofore practised.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a side elevation of theimprovement as applied and showing the canal in longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of a boat to which the improvement is applied, the View showing the motor-shaft coupled to the propeller-shaft; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of thetimprovement as applied, parts being broken out.

On the banks of a canal A are secured longitudinally-extending racks B B',and a similar rack B is arranged lengthwise in the middle of the canal, the rack B being supported on suitable pillars or posts B set in the bed of the canal. By this arrangement the canal is, divided lengthwise into two waterways, one for canal-boats to travel in one direction and the other for canal-boats traveling in the opposite direction. Each canal-boat may be a propelling-boat, but in practice I prefer to make up trains of coupled canal-boats, of which one is the propelling or motor boat 0 for drawing the coupled ordinary canal-boat 0' along, and the said motor canal-boat O is provided with a suitable motor D,eitherdriven by power on board the boat-such, for instance, as derived from steam-boilers, storage batteries, tanks filled with compressed fluids, and the like-or the motor may be driven by power utilized from the outsidesuch, for instance, as electricity carried by an overhead-trolley wire by way of a trolley a pole and wires to the electric motor on board the boat. The main shaft E of the motor D is connected with a gearing F for driving two large gear-wheels G G, journaled in suitable bearings carried by lever mechanisms H H, fulcrumed on the deck of the boat, the gearwheels being in mesh with the racks B B during the time the boat is going in one direction and in mesh with the racks B B when the boat is on the return or homeward trip.

It is evident that when the motor D is set in motion the main shaftE rotates the gearing F and the latter turns the gear-wheels G G in unison, so that the gear-wheels G G roll off on the stationary racks BBor B B to cause a forward movement of the motor-boat O in the desired direction. By having the two gear-wheels G G simultaneously in mesh with the corresponding racks fixed along the canal it is evident that the boat can be propelled at a very high rate of speed and at the same time requires very little, if any,

steering. Furthermore, the undesirable wash or swells incident to using propellers on boats is completely avoided, and consequently the banks of the canal are not liable to be injured.

The motor D can be coupled to the shaft 1 of the propeller I, as shown in Fig. 2*, so as to rotate the latter and propel-the motor-boat and the boats coupled to the same at the time they reach tide-water, so that no towing 0f the boats from the bank by'a tow-line is required, whether the boats travel in the canal, along rivers, or at tide-water. The gearwheels G G are preferablymounted on the lever mechanisms H H, so that the operator on swinging the levers can move the gearwheels out of mesh with the corresponding racks, and this is especially desirable for swinging the innermost gear-wheel out of mesh with the rack B at the time two canalboats going in opposite directions pass each other. As shown in the drawings, each of said lever mechanisms comprises a'swinging support fulcrumed on the shaft E and a jointed lever fulcrumed on the deck of the boat and connected with the swinging support.

I do not limit myself to the particular construction shown and described, as it is evident that the same maybe varied without deviating from the spirit of my invent-ion.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A canal-boat carrying a motor having a vertically-arranged shaft,a gearing con nected with said shaft, gear-wheels on the deck of the boat and driven from said gearing, the said 'gear-wheels projecting beyond the sides of the boat, fixed racks along a waterway and adapted to be engaged by said gearwheels, and levers carrying hearings in which the gear-wheels are journaled, whereby the gear-wheels can be swung to and from the racks, as set forth.

2. A boat-propelling device, comprising fixed racks along a Waterway and having vertically-arranged teeth, horizontally-arranged gear-wheels on the deck of the boat and in mesh with the said racks, a vertically-arranged driving-shaft between the gear-wheels, gearing connected with the same for driving the said gear-wheels, and lever mechanisms in which the said gear-wheels are journaled, the said lever mechanisms each comprising a member mounted on the driving-shaft and a member fulcrumed on the deck of the boat, as set forth.

3. A boat propelling device comprising fixed racks along a waterway,horizontal gearwheels located on opposite sides of the deck of the boat and projecting beyond the sides of the boat, the said gear-wheels being adapted to mesh with said racks, and independent lever mechanisms in which the gear-wheels are respectively jonrnaled, whereby either of said gear-wheels can be swung to and from the rack, and means for driving the gearwheels, as set forth.

4. A canal having fixed racks along the banks, a central rack in the middle of the canal, and boats traveling in the canal on opposite sides of the central rack and in opposite directions, driven gear-wheels on the boats and in mesh with the racks at the sides of the boat, and levers carrying the gearwheels and arranged to swing the same, whereby the innermost gear-wheels can be moved out of mesh with the central rack at the time the boats pass each other,as set forth.

5. A boat -propelling device, comprising fixed racks along a waterway, gearing on the boat for engaging the said racks, means whereby said gearing can be moved into and out of mesh with the racks, and a motor on the boat for driving the said gearing, the said motor being also arranged to be coupled to the shaft of the driving-propeller for driving the same, as set forth.

6. A boat-propelling device, comprising fixed racks extending longitudinally along the banks of a canal, a central rack extending lengthwise in the middle of the canal, supports for the central rack set in the bed of the canal, gearing on the boats for engaging the said racks, means whereby said gearing can be moved into and out of mesh with the central rack, and a motor on the boat for driving said gearing, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GILBERT HOSEA MANN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE F. MILLER, LILLIAN V. BRADFORD. 

